Stay in touch for more remote team tips

Mistakes to Avoid When Interviewing Global Remote Employees

In an ideal “money is no object” world, you’d jet-set around the planet recruiting top talent from every corner of the globe. But when was the last time your company uttered that unrealistic phrase? As a betting person, I’d say never.

All is not lost however. You can still expand your pool of candidates from different continents through international remote recruiting – a more affordable (and sensible) approach to hiring the best team members.

Before you jump into the deep end of the talent pool, you’ll want to make sure you’re interviewing techniques are effective for hiring international remote staff. Though similar to how you would initiate an in-person interview, you’ll want to avoid the following potential pitfalls in order to ready yourself for the process.

Mistake: A Phone Conversation Is Good Enough

Known as a phone-screen, initial interviews are generally a quick introductory call prior to inviting the individual in for a face-to-face interview. Since your global recruit won’t be available for a handshake, make sure your interviewing process includes at least one Skype, Lync, Facetime, or virtual web-cam based meeting where you can see the person as though they were across the room.

Phone interviews can be helpful in determining whether a job candidate – local or remote – has the skills and knowledge their resume indicates, but it won’t replace the in-person interview. Don’t underestimate the need to evaluate facial expressions, body language, and the visual feedback that offers a glimpse into who this person is. It should be an essential part of your decision making process.

Mistake: Not Inquiring How the Job Will Get Done

A global marketplace translates into different languages, time zones, working and cultural styles, and personalities. All of which can enhance your company. You’re likely find people who have specific job skills you need, and possibly bring even more to the table. But in doing so, you should ask specific questions to better understand how candidates handle challenges, team integration and collaboration in a remote environment, and find out whether they are a good fit for your company culture.

Targeted questions can help unveil a candidate’s soft skills and work ethics. Some questions you might want to ask are:

What days and hours will you be working? (see if they can accommodate your business hours)

How do you prioritize your day? (get a better understanding of how they meet deadlines)

What does a typical work day look like? (get a glimpse into their working style)

Provide examples how you would work with team members to solve problems (are they open to constructive collaboration, project management tools, and how they relate to colleagues)

What do you like to do outside of work? (show them that you care about who they are as an individual)

Mistake: Don’t Have a Plan for Working with Remote Employees

Potential employees want to make sure they know what is in store for them if they are hired. Be prepared to answer questions while interviewing international remote employees about how they fit into your company’s day-to-day operations, and the possibility of growth within your company.

Be ready to discuss rules, policies, and expectations you or the company have when it comes to remote employees. Make sure you have a management plan in place for remote workers. Discuss how you will assess progress and how the candidate will meet deadlines. Be as up front as possible to make sure both you and the candidate are aware of what working together will be like.

Mistake: Doing the Hiring Alone

When interviewing either a remote or on-site employee, it’s helpful that other members of the team meet this individual. Not only will they be working closely, they may ask questions that weren’t addressed, pick up on subtle cues that you hadn’t noticed, or have an entirely different take on answers that could be the difference between an immediate hire or further assessment. Setting up multiple virtual meetings with team members at different times will give you a more well-rounded idea into this potential international remote hire.

One of the fastest, most effective ways to hire global employees is to use a specialized remote placement agency. At DistantJob, we concentrate on identifying and introducing international IT professionals to companies across the U.S. and Canada. By employing former IT professionals and training them to recruit in this space, they are better equipped to vet all potential candidates. This saves companies time and money when searching the globe for a new team member.

Contact us to learn more about our unique global recruiting process and the advantages of hiring international remote employees.

Online capabilities and connectivity have brought flexible workforces to the forefront of the recruitment industry. IT and software development companies now have access to global talent pools of highly qualified potential candidates. Global hires offset costs and lets you take advantage of top international talent – if it’s done properly.

Full-time remote employees provide better, more cost-effective solutions for businesses. DistantJob places the world’s best candidates in top U.S. companies. We provide sought-after candidates to grow with the business. Contact us at 888-886-7343 to discover how.

Share this post

or... Subscribe to our newsletter and get exclusive content and bloopers